Watch Pulse

Pulse is a 2006 American horror movie directed by Jim Sonzero and starring Kristen Bell, Rick Gonzalez, Christina Milian, Ian Somerhalder, and Jonathan Tucker. The film is a remake of the 2001 Japanese movie Kairo, which was directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. The movie begins with a construction site in Tokyo, Japan, where a worker discovers a mysterious red tape. After taking it home, the tape releases a ghostly presence that eventually causes the man to commit suicide. Meanwhile, a college student named Mattie (Kristen Bell) in America receives a strange message from her friend Josh (Jonathan Tucker). When she investigates, she finds Josh dead in his apartment, and his computer is filled with strange visual distortions. Mattie soon discovers that the red tape is a virus that spreads through technology, causing the apparitions of the dead to haunt the living in a strange otherworldly dimension. Soon, Mattie and her friends, including Josh's roommate Dex (Rick Gonzalez) and his girlfriend Isabelle (Christina Milian), are fighting for their lives as the ghostly spirits attempt to invade their world and cause them to fall into a deep state of depression. As Mattie delves deeper into the mystery of the virus, she encounters a ghost named Ben (Ian Somerhalder) who is somewhat of a portal between the ghostly realm and the living. Ben aids Mattie in attempting to find the origin of the virus and stop it before it's too late. Together they go on an adventure to destroy the infrastructure that’s causing the virus and if that fails to break a cycle of negativity that’s reinforcing it. They meet the creator of the infrastructure and try to get the access codes to deactivate the system. Pulse is a visually stunning and spooky horror movie that tackles some heavy themes, including technology addiction, loneliness, and suicide. The movie is shot in a desaturated color palette that adds to the eerie atmosphere of the film. The special effects used to create the ghostly apparitions are impressive, and the movie creates a spooky, creepy vibe that will have audiences on the edge of their seats. The performances in Pulse are superlative, especially from Kristen Bell, who delivers an emotional and convincing performance as the film's heroine. Her character’s drive to solve the mystery behind the virus is noble and the process she goes through trying to keep her colleagues alive is nothing but inspiring. The film is also successful in its ability to explore relevant societal issues in a thought-provoking manner. In a world where technology is everywhere, Pulse delves into the idea of what happens when we become too reliant on it. It asks if avoiding human social interaction to online and virtual activities can exacerbate loneliness and feelings of despair. When faced with the notion that technology is ubiquitous and inescapable, it’s scary to think what the future might hold from the intelligent systems that we’ve created as a race. However, despite the movie's fascinating themes and intriguing plot, it does fall relatively flat in its storytelling. The plot is a somewhat confusing sci-fi horror movie with plot holes that leave the audience a bit puzzled. The story endings badly and you will be left wanting more, as the storyline falls a bit short. Overall, Pulse is a haunting horror movie that will leave audiences with a genuine scare. It is a testament to what we can create when we delve into the unknown, and perhaps serves as a warning for what can happen if we release forces that we cannot control. So let this movie be a guiding light for all of us to cherish the moments with human interaction as the advent of AI is coming sooner than later.